Tufting apparatus.



H PATENTED MAY 23, 1905. 'E. 0. HARTSHORN. A

TUPTING APPARATUS.

APPLIUATION FILED-JUNE 14, 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

o 790,501; PATENTED MAY 23, 1905.

E. 0. HABTSHO'RN.

TUFTING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 14.1904.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

Aw 6 j A l I J A \w 7;; QM A wimwoeo f A v f. ,U

Patented May 23, 1905;

PATENT ()F-FICE.

' ELGIN C. HARTSHORN, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

TUFTING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 790,501, dated May 23, 1905,

Application filed June 14:, 1904. Serial No. 212,576.

T0 on whom it Be it knoWn that I, -ELGIN (J. HAnrsHoRN, a

citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of Denver and State'of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tufting Apparatus; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and

to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in tufting apparatus or means for forming the stuffed or upholstered covering for various articles of furniture, also in the manufacture of cushions of various kinds. In work of this class buttons provided with long split shanks are passed through the cloth to form the top of the cushion or stuffed pad, after which the piece of fabric with all the buttons in place is placed upon a suitable base, the

heads of the buttons being inserted in springholders. Pins are then applied to the split shanks of the buttons, and the filling material sufficient for the cushion is placed around the pins and above the fabric through which the pins are passed. The pins are then removed, the fabric forming the other side of the cushion placed above the filling, a top board placed thereon and provided with openings where the button-shanks are located. This board is then forced downwardly by means of suitable pressure until the shanks of the buttons are caused toprotrude through the upper piece of fabric, after which the split shanks of the buttons are separated and clenched on the upper pieceof fabric, or the' piece which forms the bottom of the cushion when the latter is in use. Heretofore, so far as I am aware, the pins employed for concealing the button-shanks while placing the filling in place have been individual pinsthat is, a distinct and separate pin for each button. In placing the filling in place these pins are naturally pushed to one side, and oftentimes the button-head is thrown out In any-event the use of separate pins is very annoying and awkward.

An important feature of my invention consists-in providing a complete set of pins connected at the top by a suitable frame and so placed that they correspond to the position of the buttons. This entire gang or set of pins is applied to the button-shanks simultaneously, the lower extremities of the pins being formed hollow to receive the button-shanks. The pinframe is provided with legs or supports which engage the base of the apparatus and support the pins from direct engagement with the material surrounding the buttons.

Another feature of my improvement consists in providing the base with curved blocks each resembling the segment of a sphere having the flat side in engagement with the base and its curved surface upwardly, the said block surrounding the button-holder. This construction of the base has a tendency to cause the filling or tufting to move away from the shank of the button as pressure is applied to the upper or top member of theapparatus.

Having briefly outlined my improved construction, as well as the function it is intended to perform, I will proceed to describe the same in detail, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which is illustrated an embodiment thereof. v

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a top or plan view of the lower member of the apparatus, which I will term the base. similar view of the pin-frame. Fig. 3 is an end view of the construction shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a section taken on the line 4 4:, Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a top view of the upper or top member of the apparatus, shown on a smaller scale than in Fig. 7. Fig. 6 is a sectional view showing one of the pins in place and the filling surrounding the pin before ap- Fig. 2 is a plying the upper piece of fabric and the top vided with curved blocks A, in the center of which is located a thimble A in which is inserted a spring button-holder A the buttonholder and thimble being held in place by a screw A The blocks A and their connections are arranged to correspond with the desired arrangement of the buttons in the article to be formed.

The pins B are mounted on a suitable frame B, which, as shown in the drawings, is rectangular in shape and provided with side and end rails connected by diagonal bars B to which the pins are directly secured by suitable fastening devices, whereby the pins are held rigidly and securely in place. The pins taper gradually downward from their upper extremities to facilitate their removal from the filling material after the latter has been placed in position, as shown in Fig. 6. In the center of the lower portion of each pin B is formed a cavity B which is open at the bottom, its lower extremity being somewhat larger than its upper portion to insure the entrance of the shank C of the button C. The frame B is provided with as many pins B as there are blocks A upon the base A. Of course it is not absolutely necessary that this should be the case, since the pin-frame could be made half the size of the base and used twice in order to apply the filling material; but of course the operation is much quicker if the pin-frame is of sufiicient size to apply to the entire set of buttons inserted in the fabric D.

The upper member E of the apparatus is provided with openings E, which-are in alinement with the buttons when held in the base of the apparatus. Beneath the top member E is the upper piece of fabric D.

The pin-frame is provided with four legs B, which are adapted to enter recesses A formed in the edges of the base. These legs are provided with stops B, adapted to rest on the base when the lower extremities of the legs are in engagement with the recesses A (See Fig. 3.) In order to bring the legs B out far enough to fit into the recesses of the base, blocks B are applied to the opposite edges of the pin-frame.

In the use of my improved apparatus the shanks of the pins are first passed through the fabric D at the proper points. This piece of fabric with the pins applied is then laid with the heads down upon the base and the heads C of the pins inserted in the springholders A The pin-frame is next placed upon the base. It may be put into position as shown in Fig. 4:, whereby the legs are slightly out of line with the recesses of the base adapted to receive them. Then by pushing the frame into position so that the legs B enter the recesses A the pin-frame moves downwardly, and the shanks C of the buttons enter the respective cavities B in the lower part of the pins. The filling F is then placed in position as shown in Fig. 6, after which the upper piece of fabric D is applied. The upper member E of the apparatus is then placed upon the fabric D and forced downwardly until the shanks of the pins are caused to protrude through the fabric B. \Vashers G are then applied to the pin-shanks above the fabric D, after which the upper extremities of the shanks are bent outwardly and clenched. The work is then complete, and the cushion or tufted article may be removed from the apparatus; It will be observed that as the upper member E is forced downwardly there is a tendency to cause the filling F to move away from the shanks of the pins by virtue of the curved surface of the blocks A, the said surface being highest in the center, where the pins are located.

In the old construction of apparatus the openings in the lower extremities of the pins are large enoughto receive the button-holders, and the pins pass downwardly over these holders and force the fabric D around the said holders as the pins move downwardly to the base of the apparatus. It is thus practicable in the old construction to make only a deep tuft, whereas by virtue of my improved construction, whereby the pins are supported slightly above the fabric D, a shallow tuft or a tuft suitable for a mattress may be made, which is impossible with the old structure. This explanation indicates the advantage of the blocks A, taken in connection with the pins supported in the frame, as heretofore explained. My improved construction makes it practicable to form the tufted article by. the use of much less covering, since the deep tuft requires an amount of covering greatly in excess of what is required in making the shallow or mattress tuft.

The base of the device is provided with angle-guides A, which project above the upper surface of the base and into which the corners of the member E fit when the latter is placed in position, whereby the vertical movement of the said member is absolutely accurate.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In an apparatus of the class described, a base provided with blocks whose upper surfaces are curved from the center downwardly to the base, recesses being formed in the centers of the blocks, and button-holding devices located in the said recesses.

2. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a base provided with blocks whose upper surfaces are curved or tapered downwardly from the center to the base, the blocks, however, having central recesses, button-holding devices located in the recesses of the blocks, and a frame provided with supdepending pins rigidly connected with the frame and having openings in their lowerex tremities adapted to receive the shanks of the buttons, the legs being longer than the pins whereby the lower extremities of the latter are supported above the base.

4. The combination with a suitable base' provided'with devices adapted to receive the heads of buttons having upwardly-projecting shanks, of a frame provided with depending pins having open cavities in their lower extremities, the pins being arranged in alinement with the buttons in the base, the said frame having legs adapted to enter recesses they are of a depth equal tothat of the buttonhol'der's and are curved or tapered downwardly from the center to the base.

provided with button-holding devices projecting upwardly therefrom, of blocks surrounding the button-holders and engaging the base, the blocks being highest at the center and curved or tapered downwardly from the center to the base, a frame having supporting legs engaging the base, and a series of pins rigidly connected with the frame and suspended above the base their lower extremities having hollow openings for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signaturein presence of two witnesses.

ELGINzC. HARTSHORN.

Witnessesz' A. J. OBRI DENA NELSON.

5 6. The combination with a suitable base f 

